Check valve



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,324

F. w. BONITZ CHECK VALVE Filed July 1, 1927 Patented F cl). 7, 1928.

UNITED. STATES FRED W. BONI'IZ, T MOTH-E, NORTH CAROLINA.

CHICK VAINTI.

Application fled July 1, 1927. 80111180. 808,857.

My invention relates to check valves mainly intended for use in storagetanks for oils or other liquids but it has also its application inconnection with fluid pressure containers such as air brakes on railroadtrains and the like.

The main object ofmy invention is to provide a valve of this class whichis selfclosing and can be positively operated by means of elementscontained within the discharge pipe of the tank. This insures allaccidental discharge of the tank in case the service valve should havebeen left open or damaged or the discharge pipe broken.

The precaution generally taken to prevent such accidental discharge isto furnish a hinged extension on the discharge pipe within the tank. Byraising the free end of this extension to a position above or near thesurface of the liquid contained in the tank, no discharge can then takeplace. But as such a device is not automatic but must be hand operated,the attendant supposed to raise the extension pipe after each fillin ofa tank car or truck and also at the en of a working day, might forget todo so, which frequently happens, when loss of liq- I uid is apt to takeplace just the same.

Some advantages gained by the use of my safety check valve may here bementioned, viz. Elimination of any opening in the top of the tank, thusmaking it gas tight. Less cost in construction and maintenance.Simplicity of operation as only one man is needed and the easilyoperable and accessible closing device for my check valve as comparedwith the cumbersome arrangement for raising the swing pipe in ordinaryIn the accompanying drawing one embodiment of my invention isillustrated, and

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the valve;

Figure 2 a vertical section along line 2-2 of Figure 2;

Figure 3 a rear view of the valve members; and,

Figure l an elevation and partial section of the valve and tank insmaller scale.

In the drawing reference numeral represents a storage tank such ascommonly used for storing gasoline and other. oils. Such tanks may varyin size of from ten (10) to one hundred (100) feet indiameter and fromtwenty (20) to forty 40) feet in height. Near its bottom is to found anoutlet opening (11) around which are bolted orriveted flanges (12) intowhich is threaded the discharge pipe (13) provlded with a service valve(14) of any suitable construction. Reference numeral (15) represents a Twith a stufiing box (16) for the valve operating rod- (17), which hasthreaded enga ement (18) with the box for the purpose 0 advancing orretracting the rod axially in the discharge pipe (13) by means of a handwheel (19).

To the nipple (20) projecting inwardly in the tank in alinement with thedischarge pipe (13) is secured. by threads a valve housing (21) for myimproved check valve which consists of a main valve member (22) and anauxiliary valve member (23). The main valve member is hinged on aspindle (24) located at the upper inner edge of the housing (21) so thatit can swing upwards in opening. A ground joint seat (25) at theslanting mouth of the housing is provided for the main valve member(22).

The auxiliary valve member (23) has an upwardly directed arm (26) bymeans of which it is also hinged on the spindle (24;) carried by thehousing. A seat (27) is furnished for the auxiliary valve member (23) inthe front face of the main valve member (22) and a preferably oblongoutlet opening (28) runs centrally through the latter and engages, a titor abutment pin (29) projecting beyond the rear face of the main valvemember. It should be noted that both valve members are apt to close bygravity in their respective seats which are set in inclined directions.to the vertical plane. A hook (30) or other suitable stop is providedon the front side of the main valve member to limit the movement of theauxiliary valve member with regard to the main valve member. This stopdoes, however, not prevent the full swing of the two valve memberstogether.

Near the rear bottom edge of the main valve member (22) is furnishedanother abutment or tail piece (31) adapted to contact with the free endor head (32) of the operating rod (17) after it has pushed the firstabutment (29) out of the way. The end of the operating rod (17) is suported on a ferrule or roller (33) carrie by a cross bar (34) fixed inthe sides of the housing (21).

In addition to the operating mechanism for my check valve justdescribed, I' may also furnish an emergency lift. The latter comprisesan eye (40) on the front side of the auxiliary valve member (23) inwhich engages a rin or book of a liftin chain or cable (41). he otherend of this chain 1s attached to a lever (42) mounted on the inner endof a shaft (48) carried in a stuffing box (44) in the side wall of thetank (110) preferably immediately above the c eck valve. By means of anoperating arm (45) fixed on the shaft (43), the latter ma be turned toopen the check valve throu the intermediary of the lever (42), chain(41), eye (40), and hook'(30). It will thus be understood that theauxiliary valve member will be first opened until it strikes the hook(30) in this manner permitting some of the liquid to pass through theopening (28) into the discharge pipe and in this manner partly releasingthe pressure on the main valve (22), which will now be raised bycontinuous pull on the chain and the engagement between the auxiliaryvalve (23;) and the stop or hook (30). This dev1ce 1s only used as anemergency in case the principal opening device should in some mannerhave become damaged.

- Ordinarily discharge is made from the tank by first turning thehandwheel (19), thereby advancing the operating rod (17 through theaction of the threads (18). The red head (32), which is fairly large andpreferably pear shaped, then contacts with the abutment (29) pushing itinwards until its end is flush with the rear surface of the main valvemember, thereby lifting the auxiliary valve member (23) OH its seat(27), permitting liquid to flow through the opening (28) and releasingthe pressure on the main valve member. B continued advancement of therod (17), its head (32) gradually passes 0d the abutment (29) and ontoabutment (31) and then raises the main valve member (22) into its fully0 en osition as indicated by the dot and ash ines in Figure 2. Theservice valve is now ready to be opened to makethe discharge from thetank.

As soon as the tank has been sulficiently drained the check valve isclosed by retracting the operating rod through the reversed turning ofthe handwheel (19) whereupon the service valve (14) is also closed.

While the preferred embodiment of my invention has been described indetail, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to theparticular construction set forth, since various changes in the form andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention ordestroying any of the advantages contained in the same.

I claim:

1. In combination with a discharge pipe, a check valve thereforcomprising main and auxiliary valve members having coaxially hingedconnection with said pi e, a stop on the main valve member adapte tolimit the movement of the auxiliary valve member with relation thereto,a seat being provided on said pipe for the main valve member and a seatfor the auxiliary valve member provided in the main valve member, andcommon means for opening the valve members;

said means being housed in said, pipe and adapted to open by contact theauxiliary valve member in advance of the main valve member.

\ 2. In combination with a discharge pipe, a check valve thereforcomprising main and auxiliary valve members having hinged connectionwith said pipe and common means for opening the valve members; saidmeans being) adapted to open the auxiliary valve mem er in advance ofthe main valve member, seats being provided on said pipe and said mainvalve member respectively for the main and auxiliary valve members,"said means com rising an operating rod mounted within said pipe, adevice for reciprocating the rod in substantially axial direction in thepipe, and abutments on the valve members adapted to contact with saidrod.

3. The combination with a storage tank having a discharge pipe, of acheck valve therefor; said valve comprising a valve housing within thetank on said pipe, a main valve member and an auxiliary valve membereach having) hinged connection with said housing, seats eing provided insaid housing and the main valve member respectively for said valvemembers, a, substantially axially reciprocable operating rod for thevalve within the ipe a bearing for the rod mounted exterior y o the tankon said pipe and means for reciprocat the rod therein, abutments on themain an auxiliary valve members, said rod being adapted to contact firstwith the abutment on the auxiliary valve member and subsequently withsaid other abutment during its advance to open said valve members.

4. In combination with a discharge pipe, 9. check valve thereforcomprising main and auxiliary valve members having common hingedconnection with said pipe and common means for opening the valvemembers; said means being housed in said pipe and adapted to makecontact with the auxiliary valve member in advance of with the mainvalve member in order to 0 en said members and emergency means con ectedwith said auxiliary valve member for opening the valve membersindependent of said common opening means, the auxiliary valve memberhaving limited motion with regard to the main valve member.

5. In combination with a discharge pipe, a check valve thereforcomprisin main and auxiliary valve members having inged connection withsaid pipe and common means for opening the va ve members; said meansbeing housed in said pipe, and adapted to open the auxiliary valvemember in advance of the main valve member and emergency means foropening the valve member independent of said common opening means, saidemergency means including a lever fulcrumed above said pipe and flexibleconnection between the lever and the auxiliary valve member, saidauxiliar valve member being adapted to have a imited movement on themain valve member.

6. The combination with a stora e tank having a discharge pipe, of achec valve therefor; said valve comprising a valve housing within thetank on said pipe, a main valve member and an auxiliary valve mem- =bereach having) hinged connection with said housing, seats eing provided insaid housing and the main member respectively for said valve members, asubstantiall axially reciprocable operating rod for t e valve within thepipe, a bearin for the rod mountedexteriorly of the tan lr on said pi eand means for reciprocating the rod t erein, abutments on the main andauxiliary valve members, said rod being adapted to contact first withthe abutment on the auxiliary valve member and subsequently with saidother abutment during its advance to open said valves; and emergencymeans independent of said common opening means for having a dischargepipe, of a chec valve therefor; said valve comprising a valve housingwithin the tank on said pipe, a main valve member and an auxiliary valvemem= ber each havin hinged connection with said housing, seats beingprovided in said housing and the main valve member res ectivel for saidvalve members, a substantia 1y axia ly reciprocable operating rod forthe valve within the pipe, stufling box in said pi e for the rod havinthreads engaging t 0 rod, a turning han le exteriorly of the tankcarried by the rod, abutments on each of said valve members, said rod.being adapted to contact during its advancement first with the abutmentof the auxiliary valve member and subsequently with the abutment of theineain valve member to open said valve mem- In witness whereof, I havehereunto set my-hand at Charlotte, North Carolina, this 31 day of May,A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-seven.

FRED W. BONITZ.

